Week of September 19

Students will continue working on the personal narratives. Students will demonstrate their abilities to use writing techniques such as thoughtshot writing (creates a more personal connection with the topic and the reader of the essay), using verbal snapshots which create a more detailed description in the essay and exploding the moment, a technique that encourages a more focused approach to the writing topic. We will also begin a new unit in novel study and response to literature. Our first novel of the year will be Mildred Taylor's "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry". Students are encouraged to bring their own personal copies of the novel for annotation purposes.We will focus on the historical background of the novel, study how the historical setting influences the plot, and learn how the author uses universal and recurring themes in the novel to make observations about life and human nature. Previous journal entry topic words--altercation, cacophony, capacious, fickle, infamy and infamous.